My PF Changs Experience

[GB]

DW and I finally went to PF Chang's last night. She had been to one in Boston years ago, but I have never been. We had a very late dinner for us. We used to eat much later, but since we have had kids dinner seems to be no later than 6pm. Well last night we didn't eat until about 9.

The food was ok. it was certainly nothing to write home about. I would say it was average. We have some much better Chinese restaurants in our area so I do not anticipate going back to this place.

We had one funny moment though. I had picked a dish I wanted and DW picked a dish she wanted. We also go the lettuce wrap app and then we shared everything. The dish she picked she knew would not be one of my favorites so she asked how I liked it. I said it was not bad, but the scallops were very overcooked. She got this very confused look on her face. How do I know they overcook their scallops she asked me. What do you mean how do I know I asked back. This went back and forth like this for a minute until I realized we had not ordered scallops. We ordered chicken In my defense, it was very dark in the restaurant and the chicken was in the shape of scallops. It was also covered in a heavy coating and lots of sauce so it was really hard to tell what was in there. We had also been discussing getting scallops and I was tired to begin with. Yeah that's the story I am sticking with.

 

[sattie]

I love PF Changs, mainly for the lettuce wraps, but you can get the same lettuce wraps at Pei Wei. Changs IMO is not real chinese food, but it has it's own spin, which I do like on occasion.

Did the scallops taste like chicken???

 

[GB]

Yes, the scallops tastes remarkably like chicken

We got the lettuce wraps, just because everyone always talks about them so I wanted to see what it was all about. I did enjoy those and the portion was so big that is was essentially another dish instead of an app. I do not think I would get those again as they were good, but nothing spectacular. I liked it better than the lemon chicken (scallops) though.

 

[Yakuta]

Interestingly I went to P.F. Changs this past Friday night. It was extremely crowded as usual and there was not much in terms of service. The food though was pretty good. I like P.F. Changs in general. It's one of the few places that makes a hot and sour soup with chicken stock and chicken rather than the traditional pork. I also love their salt and pepper calamari, that is my favorite appetizer there. My kids liked it to, it's just cleaned and fried squid (without any tentacles or rubbery parts which I personally don't care for).

The mongolian beef was good as usual and the shrimps I had with the orange peel were overcooked. Perhaps they don't pay as much attention to cooking their seafood. Looks like GB had a similar experience with scallops.

Overall not a bad restaurant to go with the family.

 

[GB]

I always love salt and pepper calamari. DW enjoys it as well, but she has a hard time ordering calamari so I usually do not suggest it.

I wanted to go for dishes that we could only get at PF Chang's so we tried to stay away from the usual fare that other Chinese places have. one of the dishes we got was a standard one though because that is what DW wanted.

 

[pdswife]

We go once in awhile... not wonderful food but OK for the price.

The do however have the best hot and sour soup in town at this point.

 

[jennyema]

The scallop story is hilarous. But sadly reflective of what PF Changs is like.

I hate the place. Sorry. It isn't remotely authentic and just not very good.

Luckily I live in a place with excellent asian restaurants of every stripe, though.

I only go to PF Changs maybe one or twice a year and only because it's across the street from the hotel that all the out-of-town baseball teams stay at. The players love to eat at PF Changs and I can get some sweet autographs if I play my cards right.

The lettuce wraps and the hot and sour soup are OK. That's what I order.

Also, I find it troubling that no asian people are working or eating in a so-called "Chinese" restaurant. Thats a bad sign in my book.

 

[GB]

There is a much better Chinese restaurant right down the street from this one Jenny (this is the one in Natick). It is one of our favorite restaurants. We are often the only Caucasians there. That certainly does not guarantee a good meal, but it does tell you something.

We were absolutely struck by the lack of Asian staff and patrons as well as the loud dance music that was pumped in. It was not a very Chinese experience.

 

[Andy M.]

I've seen non-Asian staff in an Asian restaurant no more than twice in my life. It is very disconcerting simply because of the expectations that have been set.

Never been to a PF Chang so can't comment.

In a conversation about two years ago with the owner of a nearby Chinese take out restaurant, there are 18 Chinese restaurants within a 5 mile radius of my home. More have been added since then. I don't have a problem finding good Chinese food.

 

[GB]

This was only my second time seeing non-Chinese staff in a Chinese restaurant. The other time was in Del Ray Beach Florida. The Chinese food there was among the worst I have ever had.

 

[sattie]

ANDY!!! You changed your avatar!!! LOVE IT!

I never thought much about the staffing at places like that, but you do have a point. This new place DH and I discovered, great food, and fully staffed by Asian folks. So I guess that is saying something about that place?

 

[Andy M.]

ANDY!!! You changed your avatar!!! LOVE IT!

I never thought much about the staffing at places like that, but you do have a point. This new place DH and I discovered, great food, and fully staffed by Asian folks. So I guess that is saying something about that place?

Asian restaurants staffed 100% with Asians can still have bad food.

 

[DramaQueen]

Hey Sattie, my daughter bought me a Christmas Tree exactly like the one on your avatar. I blogged about it a couple of weeks ago. Here it is, it's Charlie Brown Christmas Tree:

 

[sattie]

Hey Sattie, my daughter bought me a Christmas Tree exactly like the one on your avatar. I blogged about it a couple of weeks ago. Here it is, it's Charlie Brown Christmas Tree:

That is just a hoot DQ!!!

Yes Andy, you are correct. But this place just happens to have great food in my opinion!

 

[jennyema]

PF Changs was also started and is owned by a bunch of Italian guys in a food conglomerate.

 

[sattie]

Now that is funny! I had no idea....

It kinda reminds me of the Texas Toast I buy on occasion, I think it is the 'New York' brand of Texas Toast made in Columbus, Ohio...

 

[DramaQueen]

While I have to agree that P.F. Changs is not authentic Chinese food, I still like it and my friends and I go there often. The lettuce wraps, according the the wait staff, is their most popular dish. If you look around most of the customers order that. I think their new grill menu, especially the Lemongrass Prawns with Garlic Noodles is outstanding!!! One of the best shrimp dishes I've had at least at THIS particular location. Can't guarantee it'll taste the same where you live. And oddly enough, most of the wait staff is Mexican. LOL.
The food is hot, plentiful, decently priced and the service is always good. But for real authentic Chinese we go elsewhere.[/B]

 

[Andy M.]

We expect our Chinese restaurants to be staffed with Chinese.

Why don't we expect our Italian restaurants to be staffed with Italians?

What about seafood restaurants?

 

[GB]

I think their new grill menu, especially the Lemongrass Prawns with Garlic Noodles is outstanding!!!

Darn!!! That is the other dish I wanted to get, but DW is not a huge shrimp fan. She will eat them, but I knew she really wanted a chicken dish so we went with that.

 

[elaine l]

Thanks for the review GB. I have been dying to go there. I did go to one in FL once but it was with my husband's family. They each order and eat their dish (no sharing) so I only got to try what I picked.